Japan

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Japan, one of the world’s most densely populated countries, is a volcanic archipelago located between the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean.

In the mid-nineteenth century, following more than 200 years of cultural isolation, Japan began a period of rapid modernization and military expansion that ended with its defeat in World War II and the signing of a pacifist constitution. The country experienced rapid economic growth following the war and, despite a major downturn in the 1990s, has remained an economic superpower. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, prompted by a perceived threat from China, a decrease in American military presence and recent territorial disputes, has called for a reinterpretation of the constitution to allow for strengthening of Japan’s armed forces.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 26, 2015

Jul. 20, 2015

Editorial criticizes Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe's attempt to broaden scope of military action country is allowed to engage in by reinterpreting Constitution rather than by holding Parliamentary vote to revise it; says Japan is justified in seeking larger military role given changes in world since limits were imposed following World War II; warns that Abe's means of enacting needed changes, however, are cause for alarm. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe, despite widespread public opposition and demonstrations, garners critical vote in Parliament for law granting Japan's military limited ability to fight abroad for first time since World War II; vote comes after months of rancorous debate in society that has practiced pacifism to atone for wartime aggression. MORE

Jul. 13, 2015

Large Japanese corporations are marketing military hardware globally, after lifting of nearly 50-year ban on weapons exports; country is banking on increased military-related trade to help strengthen ties with other Asian nations that share Japan's wariness of China. MORE

Jul. 5, 2015

Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe is pushing to build United States Marine Corps base off coast of Okinawa in effort to cement Japan's position as United States' most valuable Asian ally; plan, long opposed by Okinawan residents, has drawn renewed and fierce protests. MORE

Jun. 23, 2015

South Korean Pres Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe call on people of their countries to set aside historical grievances and focus on shared strategic interests in Asia-Pacific region; each is received at other country's embassy in events marking 50 years of diplomatic relations. MORE

Jun. 20, 2015

Toyota publicly defends newly-hired executive Julie Hamp after she was arrested in Japan on charges of illegally bringing restricted painkiller into country; case is seen as test of whether Toyota miscalculated in decision to hire Hamp as it seeks to promote more foreign and female managers. MORE

Jun. 12, 2015

Line Music introduces music streaming service in Japan, market that represents major holdout in industry due to its persistent focus on physical formats like CDs; service will feature 1.5 million songs and prices as low as $4 a month; larger Western competitors like Spotify are not yet available in Japan. MORE

Jun. 7, 2015

Some tuna fishing companies in Spain are switching from ancient trap-fishing method to less sustainable ranch fishing method in response to increased demand from Japanese consumers; adherents of older fishing method complain their industry is being punished for overfishing and excesses committed by others. MORE

Jun. 2, 2015

Solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 makes unplanned stop in Japan to wait out bad weather during attempt to circle globe using no fuel. MORE

Jun. 2, 2015

Japanese drug companies Eisai Co, Shionogi & Co and Takeda Pharmaceutical have opened their libraries of chemical compounds to Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative in effort to find cures for parasitic diseases Chagas and leishmaniasis. MORE

May. 31, 2015

Number of small towns in Japan with shrinking populations are offering rewards, ranging from seafood to vacation packages, to outsiders willing to donate to town tax rosters in exchange for tax deducton; approach exploits system designed to allow city-dwellers to support their ancestral towns and some are critical of towns' efforts to lure unconnected outside donors. MORE

May. 31, 2015

Japan’s Keishicho Eagles, football team made up of Tokyo police officers, has played its way into X League, nation's top-level American football league; department sees sports as way to toughen its police officers. MORE

May. 30, 2015

Saturday Profile of Ariana Miyamoto, Miss Universe Japan 2015 who is first half-black woman in country to ever win major beauty pageant; many in the proudly homogeneous country have struggled to accept Miyamoto as Japanese, and she says she intends to use her victory to raise awareness of challenges facing mixed-race Japanese in society. MORE

May. 28, 2015

Senior nuclear envoys of United States, Japan and South Korea agree to increase pressure on North Korea to curtail its nuclear weapons ambitions and improve its human rights record through effective and creative enforcement of sanctions. MORE

May. 26, 2015

Japan had April 2015 trade deficit of 53.4 billion yen, or $440 million, compared to 227.4 billion surplus in March. MORE

May. 24, 2015

Number of books are being published in United States on subject of monsters of Japanese lore known collectively as yokai; The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore by Michael Dylan Foster, Yurei: The Japanese Ghost by Zack Davisson, Yokai Character Collection by Michael Goldstein and The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits by Matthew Meyer all owe debt to steady recent stream of Japanese cultural imports. MORE

May. 23, 2015

Mazda, Mitsubishi and Suburu announce pending recalls of more than 700,000 vehicles in Japan with Takata airbags, after company acknowledged potentially dangerous faults in product; recalls add 715,000 cars and trucks to what is now largest auto safety recall in history. MORE

May. 20, 2015

Lawmakers of both parties, emboldened by acceleration of Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, are pushing to include amendment that would curb currency manipulation; say deal has cast light on issue that has long hurt American industry in foreign markets like Japan and China, with particular focus on auto industry; Obama administration has said practice is no longer problem that it once was, and has threatened to veto if measure is included. MORE

May. 20, 2015

Japan reports that its economy expanded at annualized rate of 2.4 percent in first quarter of 2014; growth exceeds economists' expectations and marks unexpected acceleration of nation's post-recession climb. MORE

May. 7, 2015

Cultural experience of visiting geishas in traditional Japanese teahouses, which was once secretive environment restricted to regular customers, is becoming more open as an option for entertaining foreign business travelers; geishas act as hostesses, preparing and serving food and beverages and performing traditional dances and songs. MORE

Apr. 30, 2015

In a visit to Washington, the Japanese prime minister announced that his country would donate $1 million to two Washington museums that feature Asian art, the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. MORE

Apr. 30, 2015

Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe emphasizes potential for regional security and prosperity during appeal before Congress to back Trans-Pacific Partnership; Abe offers no concessions to appease divided and skeptical Congress. MORE

Apr. 29, 2015

Pres Obama and Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe fail to reach trade agreement but report significant progress in negotiations; they create new military guidelines that will allow Japan to use military force in limited situations; both men express desire for quick resolution to Pacific Rim trade pact, which is politically unpopular in both countries. MORE

Apr. 29, 2015

Thomas L Friedman Op-Ed column holds trade agreements being pursued by Pres Obama with Pacific allies like Japan and Singapore and with European Union will benefit United States not only economically but also in terms of national security and foreign policy; says rules of any kind between free market democracies are needed at time of rising disorder in Middle East and Africa and power plays of both Russia and China. MORE

Apr. 28, 2015

Pres Obama and Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe reach agreement on military cooperation that allows Japan to act when United States or countries under its protection are threatened, rather than solely in self-defense. MORE

Apr. 28, 2015

Fitch Ratings lowers credit rating of Japan for its failure to adequately address its staggering debt. MORE

Apr. 27, 2015

Japanese television commentator Shigeaki Koga's announcement that network executives have removed him due to his criticism of government focuses attention on Prime Min Shinzo Abe's aggressive tactics in silencing media criticism; journalists and experts say Abe has gone further than his predecessors in trying to control media and has had chilling impact on media coverage. MORE

Apr. 25, 2015

Unidentified man is arrested in Japan after turning himself in to police saying that he flew drone with small amount of radioactive material onto roof of office of Prime Min Shinzo Abe to protest country's nuclear policy. MORE

Apr. 23, 2015

Chinese Pres Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe meet in Indonesia during gathering of Asian and African nations; diplomatic session between the two leaders is of customary length and signals continued, if low-level, warming of cool relations between their nations. MORE

Apr. 22, 2015

Japanese Prime Min Shinzo Abe sends ritual gift to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Shinto memorial to nation's war dead; move could anger Japan's neighbors like China and South Korea. MORE

Apr. 20, 2015

Editorial calls on Japanese Prime Min to address his nation's wartime past as part of his impending visit to the United States and appearance before Congress; criticizes Abe for exploiting nationalism and whitewashing Japanese atrocities, including nation's brutal occupation of China and Korea and its sexual enslavement of women; argues that only by acknowledging past can Japan assume leadership role as stabilizing force in Asia. MORE

Apr. 18, 2015

Japan's ruling party questions executives from two leading television networks in what critics say is infringement of press freedom; one program in question was critical of Prime Min Shinzo Abe. MORE

Apr. 16, 2015

Japan's Self Air-Defense Force has scrambled jets 943 times in year ending on March 31, 2015, driven by increased Russian and Chinese activity in region; number falls just short of country's record for such flights set in 1984. MORE

Apr. 15, 2015

Local judge in Japan's Fukui Prefecture issues injunction against restarting of two nuclear reactors in region, blocking latest push to bring industry back online in wake of Fukushima nuclear disaster; argues new safety standards are still insufficient; Fukui has long been considered political stronghold of nation's nuclear industry, but has now emerged as battleground as government seeks to reverse impact of reactor shutdowns. MORE

Apr. 4, 2015

The Saturday Profile of Japanese World War II fighter pilot Kaname Harada, who has made mission of telling younger generations about his horrific wartime experiences in hope of averting future military actions by his country. MORE

Apr. 2, 2015

Misao Okawa, Japanese woman who was viewed as world's oldest person, dies just weeks after celebrating her 117th birthday. MORE

Apr. 1, 2015

Japanese officials say country will not be founding member of new Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, but instead will support United States, which has asked allies to not join bank. MORE

Mar. 24, 2015

Takeshi Onaga, governor of Okinawa, Japan, orders halt to expansion project at American Marine Corps base Camp Schwab in response to local opposition and environmental concerns; Prime Min Shinzo Abe, who has sought stronger security ties with United States, says preparations for project will continue despite objections. MORE

Mar. 21, 2015

Talks between foreign ministers of China, South Korea and Japan will resume in Seoul after being suspended in 2012. MORE

Mar. 20, 2015

Japan and China discuss creation of hotline to ease tensions in East China Sea during their first high-level security talks in four years. MORE

Mar. 20, 2015

Mitsuyoshi Kamiya is arrested in Japan for making bomb threats against United States Embassy in Tokyo and American military base in Okinawa. MORE

Mar. 20, 2015

Japan's savings rate, long one of highest in world, is minus 1.3 percent, with its citizens spending more than they earn; by comparison, United States savings rate was 5.5 percent in January; Japan's economic recovery could be complicated as previous generations of savers retire and tap their nest eggs; about 40 percent of unmarried adults are zero savers, as are about 30 percent of families. MORE

Mar. 19, 2015

Japanese authorities say they are investigating telephoned death threats to United States Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and to diplomat Alfred Magleby. MORE

Mar. 19, 2015

Some of Japan's most prominent companies announce largest pay increases in years, including Toyota, Panasonic and Hitachi; announcements are most substantial results from efforts on part of Prime Min Shinzo Abe to pressure country's businesses to raise workers' pay, part of broader economic growth plans. MORE

Mar. 18, 2015

Haruhiko Kuroda, governor of the Bank of Japan, acknowledges that aggressive campaign to create inflation has stalled, and that return to deflation is possible; assessment follows admission by bank that consumer prices are likely to cease rising. MORE

Mar. 17, 2015

Michelle Obama will travel to Japan and Cambodia to promote Let Girls Learn, international effort to improve girls' access to education in third world countries. MORE

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Toru Yamanaka, a photographer for Agence France-Presse, visited places in Japan destroyed by the March 2011 tsunami, photographing them from the same perspective that other photographers captured a year earlier.